The Wall Street Journal’s book club is reading Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall,” which was chosen by our guest host Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love” and “The Signature of All Things.” This week, we’re talking about the power dynamic between Thomas Cromwell and King Henry.

The most recognizable character in “Wolf Hall” is Henry VIII, and Mantel keeps him mostly on the sidelines for the first 150 pages or so of the novel. When Henry and Cromwell first meet, we see a power dynamic taking shape. How does Cromwell, a blacksmith’s son who is scorned by most of the other courtiers, win the king’s respect and confidence?

Here are some thoughts from Elizabeth Gilbert on her favorite scene in “Wolf Hall”– Cromwell and Henry’s first encounter – and what it reveals about their characters and the way power is gained and wielded in the court.

Elizabeth Gilbert: By all rights, the most important character in this story should be Henry the VIII. If you’re going to tell a traditional tale, this is his story. But he doesn’t even make an appearance until well into the novel. It’s my favorite scene in the book. We’ve watched Cromwell and we know who he is. Then there’s the scene where they meet for the first time, and they’re taking a measure of each other. The king says, once in a speech a few years ago you attacked my idea for a war and said that we couldn’t afford it, and Cromwell says, no prince has ever been able to afford a war. There’s a moment where Thomas, you hear him saying to himself, the only way to handle this is to not back down and not to look down. It’s like two dogs meeting in a field, or prisoners in a prison yard. It’s like “Oz.” You either show him right now that you’re the tougher man and he kills you for it right now, or you will never have any power, so better to take the risk now. It’s such a great scene. There’s a moment where you think the king is either going to put a sword through him right this second, or this is going to become the only advisor he ever listens to. And it goes that way.

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